Cross-linked-closed-cell foam (“CLCC foam”) is a type of foam material that has been used since the 1980s to manufacture traction mats for boats, surfboards, jet skis, boat swim platforms, stand-up paddle boards and other such marine vessels and vehicles. Synthetic polymers are normally used to manufacture CLCC foam, usually by means of polymerization and plastic making technologies that incorporate the addition of foaming agents. Injection molding, foam extrusion, reactive foaming and gelation are some of the known methods for making synthetic polymers, sometimes referred to as “polymeric foams”, that are made up of two or more polymers. The term “cross-linked” refers to the chemical bond that binds one polymer chain to another. The teen “closed-cell” refers to the fact that the structures of these polymers exhibit enclosed impermeable bubbles, or “cells”, unconnected to each other within the foam. Such closed-cell foams are denser than open-cell-structured foams; they do not have interconnected pores; and they normally exhibit higher compressive strength due to such structures. Eva-Glory Industrial Co., of Taiwan, and the UltraIon Foam Group, of New Zealand, are just two of many commercial suppliers of CLCC foams. “Polymeric foam”, “cross-linked polyethylene foam” and “EVA foam” are among the terms that are used in commerce to refer to these CLCC foams. The term “EVA foam” refers to the fact that, initially, many of these foam products were made from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and the term continued to be used commercially even when many of the newly developed foams contained very little or even no ethylene vinyl acetate at all. In the context of this patent disclosure it will be understood that the term “CLCC foam” refers to cross-linked-closed-cell foam, and the term “EVA foam” also refers to cross-linked-closed-cell foam, including what is commonly referred to as “EVA foam”, whether or not the foam contains little or no ethylene vinyl acetate at all.
CLCC foam is usually attached to the surfaces of such marine vessels or power sport vehicles by pasting a glue on the undersurface of the CLCC foam or on the surfaces for which increase traction is needed on such marine vessels or power sport vehicles, like, for example, the foot wells of a jet ski or the swim platform of a boat or the surface of a stand-up paddle board. As would be expected, such surfaces are usually wet and the people using such boats, surfboards, jet skis, platforms and other such marine vessels or power sport vehicles are often barefoot, making strong traction a most important safety feature of those vessels and vehicles. Conventional uses of EVA foam in marine applications may be found in http://hdrfurf.com/products.php?page=35
The prior practice in this field has been to use glue to stick or adhere the CLCC foam to the substrate, which is usually fiberglass. It is done this way because the CLCC foam is spongy and cannot hold a shape and will tear if not stuck to a strong surface. Gluing the foam down in this fashion makes it permanent. This means the user cannot remove the foam on occasions and then re-install it. Furthermore, the foam has a limited life and must be replaced every few years or, in some cases, every few months. The process of removing and replacing the old foam is tedious and scares away many users. This has been a problem in the marine industry where suppliers of CLCC foam traction mats often try to sell boat builders on gluing foam in the interior of the boat (in addition to the swim platform).
A number of compositions and techniques based on or related to CLCC foam have been used in the past for various purposes and with different results. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,862, of Matz at al. covers a specific composition for applications in the manufacturing of foam sheets used in the motor vehicle industry. The patented composition includes polyolefin, propylene polymer and EVA. PVC is essentially described as undesirable for the patented composition. Snaps are not mentioned by Matz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,820, of Cheung, addresses a rigid, multi-layered, laminated recreational sports board, for riding waves and the like, comprised of a polymer film layer, a polyethylene foam layer and an extruded adhesive resin layer. A copolymer of EVA is mentioned as an example of the stipulated polyethylene foam layer. Anhydrite-modified EVA is mentioned as one of the kinds of adhesive resin layers that may be used. The layers are bonded to each other; and several combinations of layers and suggested compounds are discussed for carrying out lamination techniques. There is no reference in the Cheung '820 patent to any synthetic fiber providing enough strength to an EVA foam layer to allow the finished product to be secured to a marine vessel surface by means of snaps. Nor is there anything in the Cheung '820 patent about the structure being attachable to the surface of a marine vessel, or about it being removable. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20060228537, of Cheung, and U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20080026197, also of Cheung, disclose a rigid multi-layered foam composite glider that may be used as a body board, a snow slide or the like, as well as a method for improving the surface smoothness of a polyolefin film on a polyethylene foam core glider. The composition of the glider includes EVA foam and a polymer film layer. The method uses extrusion to form the laminated glider structure. There are no disclosures of using snaps in these publications. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20080210366, of Chen, discloses a method for manufacturing mats that are said to be light in weight, flexible and slippery-proof. Automobile mats, bathroom mats, Yoga mats, household door mats and sidewalk mats are contemplated. The particular method claimed involves the use of an extruder, rollers, a knurling wheel, a discharge tank and so forth. EVA foam, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin foam and other polymer substances are used. There are no disclosures of using snaps in this publication. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20130280475, of Champion describes a multi-layered marine vessel cushion pad for marine applications that uses EVA and is said to be removable and provide good traction. The pad is sometimes referred to as the “deck cover” or as the “assembly”. The patent application claims the assembly structure as well as a method for making it. Three layers are preferred. The deck of a marine vessel is the surface to which the pad may be fastened and from where it may be easily removed. Champion's objective is providing good cushioning to reduce shock and impact on humans and equipment on board, not providing strength to the EVA foam assembly to allow it to be fastened to the marine deck without tearing. Snaps are not mentioned. Instead, the means for attaching the assembly to the marine deck are hook-or-eye fastener elements such as Velcro. There are no references to the use of polyester in Champion. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20140069337, of Dunford, claims an improved dog mat made of cross-linked, closed-cell polyolefin elastomeric or EVA foam with a continuous thin, waterproof soft outer skin that is said to be tear resistant. An odor repellant may be added to the mat. Dunford does not mention synthetic textile woven fabrics, PVC, snaps or marine applications.
Several other compositions and techniques have also been used in the past for certain marine applications for various purposes and with different results. Among them. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20040121117, of Peterson, describes a marine vessel outdoor carpet that is made of foam and that is said to be removable and detachable by providing it with snap heads and sockets mounted in and spaced along the unpadded carpet border to be snapped directly to the snap studs mounted on the deck surface. The main novel feature claimed by Peterson is that his carpets are cushioned to provide foot comfort to the standing helmsman on the vessel. The foam cushion padding is adhered to the underside of the carpet. Peterson does not mention EVA or synthetic textile fabrics.
It is apparent that a need exists for a reinforced CLCC foam traction mat product that does not have to be glued to the surface of the marine vessel and that is strong enough to have snaps installed in it. With snaps installed in the mats, the mats could be snapped in place and than removed as necessary; and there would no longer be a need to glue down the CLCC foam. The known prior art does not allow for snaps because conventional CLCC foam is too soft and the snaps get pulled out of the foam too easily. Also, the foam is too soft and tears easily. The present invention is directed toward providing such reinforced CLCC foam traction mat product with snaps, incorporated into the mat structure, which allow the mat to be snapped in place and then removed as necessary.
It is an object of this invention to provide a reinforced CLCC foam traction mat product with improved strength that allows the use of snaps to easily and conveniently attach and detach the mat product to and from marine surfaces, such as the surfaces of boats and other marine vessels, as well as to and from the surfaces of snowmobiles, ATVs, UTVs and other such power sport vehicles. It is also an object of this invention to provide a multi-layered structure specifically designed for such surface applications into which snaps may be incorporated in order to make a truly removable traction mat without the limitations associated with some of the mats currently available from other sources. A further object is to provide a traction mat for such marine and power sport applications that makes use of a unique multi-layered structure that increases its tensile strength and which allows the mat to be attached and removed by means of snaps without constantly tearing off the snaps when attaching or removing them. Vet a further object is to provide a practicable traction mat for marine and power sport applications that comprises a combination of a unique multi-layered structure with snaps, incorporated into said multi-layered structure, that has excellent traction (non-skid) properties and that is truly attachable and removable my means of snaps that do not separate from the mat when attaching or removing them. A further object of the invention is to provide a truly removable CLCC foam mat that is flexible and easy to roll and therefore offer an added competitive advantage when being shipped and/or handled. Another object is to provide a removable CLCC foam mat with the aforementioned attributes which may be manufactured and assembled by means of conventional techniques such as extrusion, laminating and rolling. An additional purpose of the invention is to describe a method for properly assembling such improved strength, removable traction mat. These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description that follows.